Police discount reports of missing woman seen in Houston

Updated 10:23 pm, Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Missing Garden Ridge woman Leanne Hecht Bearden was wearing this ring when last seen on Fri., Jan 17, 2014.

Missing Garden Ridge woman Leanne Hecht Bearden was wearing this ring when last seen on Fri., Jan 17, 2014.

Photo: Courtesy

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Missing Garden Ridge woman Leanne Hecht Bearden was wearing this ring when last seen on Fri., Jan 17, 2014.

Missing Garden Ridge woman Leanne Hecht Bearden was wearing this ring when last seen on Fri., Jan 17, 2014.

Photo: Courtesy

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Leanne Bearden went for a walk on 1/17/2014 at 1:00pm in Garden Ridge, and vanished.

Leanne Bearden went for a walk on 1/17/2014 at 1:00pm in Garden Ridge, and vanished.

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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Leanne Bearden went for a walk on 1/17/2014 at 1:00pm in Garden Ridge, and vanished.

Leanne Bearden went for a walk on 1/17/2014 at 1:00pm in Garden Ridge, and vanished.

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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Leanne Hecht Bearden was last seen the afternoon of Jan. 17 at her in-laws' home in Garden Ridge.

Leanne Hecht Bearden was last seen the afternoon of Jan. 17 at her in-laws' home in Garden Ridge.

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Leanne Bearden went for a walk on 1/17/ 2014 at 1:00pm in Garden Ridge, and vanished.

Leanne Bearden went for a walk on 1/17/ 2014 at 1:00pm in Garden Ridge, and vanished.

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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Searchers look for Leanne Hecht Bearden off Schoenthal Road in Garden Ridge. Bearden has been missing since Jan. 17, when she left her in-laws' house in Garden Ridge.

Searchers look for Leanne Hecht Bearden off Schoenthal Road in Garden Ridge. Bearden has been missing since Jan. 17, when she left her in-laws' house in Garden Ridge.

Photo: Edward A. Ornelas / San Antonio Express-News

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Searchers climb over a gate to look for Leanne Hecht Bearden off of Schoenthal Road.

Searchers climb over a gate to look for Leanne Hecht Bearden off of Schoenthal Road.

Photo: Edward A. Ornelas / San Antonio Express-News

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Rescue teams wait while storm drains are searched. The teams are looking for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, who hasn't been seen since Jan. 17, when she left her in-laws' Garden Ridge home to go for a walk and never returned.

Rescue teams wait while storm drains are searched. The teams are looking for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, who hasn't been seen since Jan. 17, when she left her in-laws' Garden Ridge home to go for a

Rescue teams wait while storm drains are searched. The teams are looking for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, who hasn't been seen since Jan. 17, when she left her in-laws' Garden Ridge home to go for a walk and never returned.

Rescue teams wait while storm drains are searched. The teams are looking for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, who hasn't been seen since Jan. 17, when she left her in-laws' Garden Ridge home to go for a

Rescue teams walk along FM 3009 looking for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, last seen in Garden Ridge on Jan. 17.

Rescue teams walk along FM 3009 looking for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, last seen in Garden Ridge on Jan. 17.

Photo: Vianna Davila

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Rescue teams walk along FM 3009 looking for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, last seen in Garden Ridge on Jan. 17.

Rescue teams walk along FM 3009 looking for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, last seen in Garden Ridge on Jan. 17.

Photo: Vianna Davila

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Rescue teams walk along FM 3009 looking for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, last seen in Garden Ridge on Jan. 17.

Rescue teams walk along FM 3009 looking for any sign of Leanne Hecht Bearden, last seen in Garden Ridge on Jan. 17.

Photo: Vianna Davila

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A search helicopter on Saturday scours the area near where Leanne Hecht Bearden was last seen walking Jan. 17.

A search helicopter on Saturday scours the area near where Leanne Hecht Bearden was last seen walking Jan. 17.

Photo: Vianna Davila

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Law enforcement officials gather Saturday at a command center in Garden Ridge, set up to find Leanne Hecht Bearden.She went for a walk Jan. 17 and never returned.

Law enforcement officials gather Saturday at a command center in Garden Ridge, set up to find Leanne Hecht Bearden. She went for a walk Jan. 17 and never returned.

Photo: Vianna Davila

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Searchers climb over a gate to look for Leanne Hecht Bearden Saturday Jan. 25, 2014 off Schoenthal Road in Garden Ridge. Bearden has been missing since Jan. 17.

Searchers climb over a gate to look for Leanne Hecht Bearden Saturday Jan. 25, 2014 off Schoenthal Road in Garden Ridge. Bearden has been missing since Jan. 17.

Photo: Edward A. Ornelas, San Antonio Express-News

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Troy Breeden, a volunteer searcher, climbs over a fence along a power line to look for Leanne Hecht Bearden. The woman has been missing from Garden Ridge since Friday.

Troy Breeden, a volunteer searcher, climbs over a fence along a power line to look for Leanne Hecht Bearden. The woman has been missing from Garden Ridge since Friday.

Photo: Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News

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Volunteer searchers Charity Baran, left, and her husband Jon Baran walk along power lines looking for Leanne Bearden. Volunteers search an area in Garden Ridge close to where Leanne Bearden was last seen. She has been missing since Jan. 17. Forty four volunteers signed up at Covenant Baptist Church for the search organized by friends and family members. Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. less

Volunteer searchers Charity Baran, left, and her husband Jon Baran walk along power lines looking for Leanne Bearden. Volunteers search an area in Garden Ridge close to where Leanne Bearden was last seen. She ... more

Photo: San Antonio Express-News

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Volunteers gather around a table covered by maps to search parts of Garden Ridge close to where Leanne Hecht Bearden last was seen leaving her in-laws' home.

Volunteers gather around a table covered by maps to search parts of Garden Ridge close to where Leanne Hecht Bearden last was seen leaving her in-laws' home.

Photo: Photos By Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News

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Pamela Steele, assistant manager at Grumpy's in Garden Ridge, posts a flier that features a photograph of Bearden, who had recently finished a world trip with her husband.

Pamela Steele, assistant manager at Grumpy's in Garden Ridge, posts a flier that features a photograph of Bearden, who had recently finished a world trip with her husband.

Troy Breeden, a volunteer searcher, walks along a power line to look for Leanne Bearden. Forty four volunteers searched an area in Garden Ridge close to where Leanne Bearden was last seen. She has been missing since Jan. 17. Forty four volunteers signed up at Covenant Baptist Church for the search organized by friends and family members. Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. less

Troy Breeden, a volunteer searcher, walks along a power line to look for Leanne Bearden. Forty four volunteers searched an area in Garden Ridge close to where Leanne Bearden was last seen. She has been ... more

Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express-News

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Volunteer searchers Charity Baran, left, and her husband Jon Baran walk along power lines looking for Leanne Bearden. Volunteers search an area in Garden Ridge close to where Leanne Bearden was last seen. She has been missing since Jan. 17. Forty four volunteers signed up at Covenant Baptist Church for the search organized by friends and family members. Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. less

Volunteer searchers Charity Baran, left, and her husband Jon Baran walk along power lines looking for Leanne Bearden. Volunteers search an area in Garden Ridge close to where Leanne Bearden was last seen. She ... more

Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express-News

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Leanne Bearden

Leanne Bearden

Photo: Courtesy

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Leanne Bearden, 33, seen in an undated courtesy photo provided Saturday Jan. 18, 2014 by Garden Ridge police, has been missing since Jan. 17. according to police. She was last seen taking a walk in Garden Ridge. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call Comal County dispatch at 830-620-3400 less

Leanne Bearden, 33, seen in an undated courtesy photo provided Saturday Jan. 18, 2014 by Garden Ridge police, has been missing since Jan. 17. according to police. She was last seen taking a walk in Garden ... more

Photo: COURTESY PHOTO

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Leanne Hecht Bearden, who has been missing since Jan. 17, wore these size 31/2 rings.

Leanne Hecht Bearden, who has been missing since Jan. 17, wore these size 31/2 rings.

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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Police discount reports of missing woman seen in Houston

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SAN ANTONIO — A private investigator working with police to locate a Colorado woman missing from Garden Ridge said Wednesday that reports that she was seen in Houston didn't pan out.

“We know it's not her,” said Charlie Parker, who's working with Garden Ridge police to locate Leanne Hecht Bearden, who vanished from the bedroom community northeast of San Antonio after leaving her in-laws' home Jan. 17 for an afternoon walk.

Four potential sightings of Bearden, 33, were logged with police at the University of Texas medical school in Houston this week, Parker said. The family learned about the reports Tuesday afternoon, which briefly buoyed searchers' hopes, but Parker canceled plans Wednesday to travel there to conduct interviews.

“Houston police have confirmed they are not her,” he said.

The reports arose in the same area of Houston, and one person who notified authorities provided a photo of the subject, described as a homeless mother asking for money, Garden Ridge Police Chief Donna O'Conner said.

While disappointed, Will Bearden was gratified by the public's efforts to help locate his daughter-in-law.

“Even though these turned out to be unfounded, it does show that the public awareness is there,” he said. “We want to keep the public aware that we're searching for her. The next tip may be the one that helps us find her.”

Also Wednesday, Parker released photos of two rings — size 31/2 — worn by Bearden in hopes that someone might recognize them.

“They're unusual rings,” he said. “If she's running, she might try to pawn them. And if someone else has them, they might try to pawn them.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Parker at 210-826-4052 or Garden Ridge police at 210-651-6441.

Extensive searches around Will Bearden's home on Sumac Lane failed to find any trace of the missing woman, a Colorado resident who'd been staying there with her husband, Josh Bearden, 39, for several weeks.